First of all, I dont like the Mud pattern. When overlanding I would say 80% of the driving is on gravel or tarmac. The Muds are noisy, but worst of all, braking efficiency is terrible. I guess fuel mileage is also bad. With the 80 and AT's I have been in rather muddy conditions without a stop. Both cars have lockers all around and that of course helps. So Muds go off.
But then, what size? The somewhat provoking title suggest I believe this "biggest size possible" is a hype. I have been reading around, and what seems to be experienced people say skinny tires are the best for all round use, except for glaciers on Iceland. The 78, even with a turbo and IC seems to be to high geared for the 285 size. The problem is that I have never tested skinny tires as both cars where fitted with 285 when i purchased them.
235/85-16 seems to be a good choice, although some say they can be wiggly. Also since my rims are steel 8 inches they are to narrow. Good rims are expensive, so I am thinking on 275/75-16. Or should I get new rims and 235/85?
Getting a spare in Africa can be difficult, but 235/85 is widely available. And they have the same diameter as 265/75 so I guess they can be used in an emergency.
What do you think?
PS. Sorry for not writing in German. I read German, but writing is hard.
bigger tires certainly have their advantages, especially on snow and sand as well as clearance on rock, muddy sections. but they do have their disadvantages. driveabilty and more strain on the drivetrain. so pretty much a tradeoff between, focus on drivability and offroad competence. for me certainly the latter, I run 225 100 r16 on my hdj78. i use the car for overlanding, so most of the driving is on easy stuff, but i do like to put in very difficult sections, and the tires make a HUGHE difference, especially in sand. i like the way it drives on the Highway and pistes, so it works for me..
